Restaurants and other service establishments typically use lighting to attract customers. Restaurants in particular use dim lighting in the dining area to create an intimate ambiance and create an enjoyable dining experience. However, the decreased illumination may cause a problem if the patron is unable to read the invoice information printed on the check. Without being able to read the check, the patron may commit errors in calculating the gratuity or final payment amount, leading to frustration for both the patron as well as restaurant staff. Some patrons may even be embarrassed to request assistance in reading the check and as a result may decide not to return to the restaurant.
While increased illumination may be desirable for patrons needing to read the check at the end of a dining experience, it is intrusive to patrons in the immediate vicinity who are still enjoying their meal. For this reason, typical illumination devices such as miniature lamps or table lights, while welcome by those having difficulty reading in low light, are distracting to other patrons nearby.
Candles may provide an appropriate amount of light to illuminate a check while not detracting from the restaurant's atmosphere. However, that type of lighting is hazardous in establishments where the candle can easily topple from the table and cause fire, exposing patrons to injuries and restaurant owners to liability.
Accordingly, a solution that satisfies the restaurant owner's best interests in serving patrons is one that enables patrons to read checks under dim lighting yet does not distract from the dining experiences of others. Restaurant patrons seek an enjoyable, stress free dining experience. Similarly, restaurant owners seek to provide such an experience to keep customers coming back. Additionally, restaurant owners need an effective method of delivering billing information.
The prior art in this field reveals numerous devices that hold, display, or illuminate restaurant checks and other documents in dim light conditions. However, the present invention provides a solution in areas where the prior art does not.
The prior art has attempted to overcome the aforementioned problems with a fixed light source. The illumination device for a guest check presenter in U.S. Pat. No. 7,270,437 to Racoosin et al. discloses a light source housing mounted onto a guest check presenter. The light is positioned to aim directly down at the check and is activated with a push-button switch. However, there is no way of automatically activating and deactivating the light source, a feature found in the present invention. Also, the fixed light source allows only for illumination of one portion of the check. The present invention solves this problem by providing a light source mounted on an adjustable light guide panel, which illuminates the entire document.
Another fixed light source example, the lighted bill folder in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/220,459 to Bryerman et al. discloses a folder, which, when opened, activates a light inside of a housing near the top of the folder. The light activates and deactivates when the folder is opened and closed. The illuminated billfold, portfolio, book and the like in U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,357 to Thompson et al., discloses front and back covers where the inner surface of one or both of the covers holds a restaurant check. One or both inner surfaces also include a light with an overhang. The overhang directs light at the check held by the respective cover. An electric switch energizes the light as the covers are opened. Additionally, the book light for simultaneously opening the shade and actuating the switch in U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,037 to Chen, discloses a light source with a shade that pivotally attaches to a folder with a clamp. A switch turns the light off and on when the shade closes and opens. These examples employ fixed light sources. As mentioned before, the fixed light configuration does not illuminate the entire document. The present invention overcomes this by providing a light source situated on a adjustable light guide panel.
The prior art also includes several portfolio-like document holders with the light source attached to the opposite cover as the cover holding the document. The illuminated document holder in U.S. Pat. No. 7,559,665 to Pfanstiehl, discloses a document holder that activates a lamp when the front and back covers reach predetermined angles. This prior art may be difficult to operate for some users. A user who is unaware of the proper angle to hold the menu may not enjoy the benefits of the invention. The illuminated document caddy in U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,307 to Clark et al. discloses a back cover holding a document and a front cover containing a light source. Alternatively, the light source may be located on the same cover as the document. A hood mounted over the light source prevents excess light from disturbing others nearby. A pressure switch activates and deactivates the light when the user opens and closes the covers. In the above examples, the light source being attached to one of the portfolio covers limits the degree in which the user may selectively illuminate portions of the check because the user must adjust the entire cover to alter the illumination. On the other hand, the present invention substantially departs from this trend by employing a user-friendly interface as well as a means to selectively illuminate the desired portion of the check without having to adjust the entire cover of the device.
The guest check presenter in U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,433 to Schlosser also discloses a portfolio with top and bottom covers and a plastic magnifying sheet disposed in between the covers. The bottom cover holds a document. The top cover houses a light source, which illuminates the document by directing light through the magnifying sheet. The light source is operated by a manual switch. This prior art does not feature a means to automatically shut off the light source. Therefore leaving the device unattended in the on position after use will result in unnecessary battery drain. Also, use of the magnifying sheet may be problematic to users unfamiliar with how the device works. The magnifying sheet may further reflect glare back into the eyes of the user. However, operation and execution of the present invention is easy. The user quickly discovers how to operate the lit billfold by simply opening the light guide panel, which automatically activates the light.
The food/drink tab/check holder in U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,208 to Ward discloses a book with front and back covers. One cover holds a document while the other cover contains a light-emitting assembly and a switch to deactivate the light when the covers are closed. The cover holding the document also includes a sliding magnifying member to assist users in reading small print. This prior art also requires the user to adjust the entire cover to illuminate different portions of the check.
The lighted check holder device in U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,563 to Yama discloses a box-like check support member with a hinged cover. An elongated light support member, with a switch and a light-emitting member on one end, is pivotally attached to the check support member at the other end. The box-like construction makes this device bulky and difficult to store in restaurants with limited space. Further, there is no automatic switch for activating or deactivating the light. The present invention overcomes these issues because it is roughly the same size as a normal restaurant billfold and includes a mechanism for automatically turning off the light when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,748 to Maxymych discloses an illuminated transaction tray with a hinged lid and an electroluminescent strip to light a restaurant bill held in a recess in the tray. The electroluminescent strip is arranged around the inner wall of the recessed area. With this device, there is no way to adjust the light to illuminate different parts of the check. The present invention substantially departs from this prior art by providing the user the means to selectively illuminate a desired portion of the check by adjusting the light guide panel.
The device for illuminating reading material in U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,762 to Dinnerstein et al. discloses a two-paneled portfolio with a third smaller panel. The third panel hingedly attaches to one of the first two panels and has a light module, which casts light onto a document held by the portfolio. The light source may be activated when the user depresses and holds a push button switch. Alternately, the light module may feature a timer to automatically deactivate the light after a predetermined amount of time. The present invention departs from this prior art by featuring a light guide panel that automatically closes, thereby deactivating the light source, when the user lets go of the guide panel.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a need for a lit billfold, which can be used for holding, displaying, and illuminating restaurant checks in restaurants with dim lighting conditions. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.